Meta

Best Gospel Choir Songs for Invitation / Altar Call

Choir songs that carry the message of invitation

International Mass Choir of the Pentecostal Assemblies of the World. Bishop Horace Smith in the foreground.

What should the choir sing during altar call?

Altar call (or “invitation”) is a special time during a church service, the time when people are encouraged to come forward either to make a commitment to God or to request prayer.

Here are some of my favorite songs that a choir can sing that invite people to come to the Lord.

Slow songs

Slow songs are traditionally preferred for altar calls. A slow and gentle tune gives a person space to do some soul-searching. Slow songs also make good background music while the speaker brings the message of invitation.

Come Home – by Hezekiah Walker

In my opinion, the lead verse on this song is a little heavy-handed. But the chorus is nice, and if the choir is singing for altar call, they would probably go straight to the chorus anyway.

Luke 15:20-24

(20) And he arose, and came to his father. But when he was yet a great way off, his father saw him, and had compassion, and ran, and fell on his neck, and kissed him. (21) And the son said unto him, Father, I have sinned against heaven, and in thy sight, and am no more worthy to be called thy son. (22) But the father said to his servants, Bring forth the best robe, and put it on him; and put a ring on his hand, and shoes on his feet: (23) And bring hither the fatted calf, and kill it; and let us eat, and be merry: (24) For this my son was dead, and is alive again; he was lost, and is found. And they began to be merry.

Key of Db.

Difficulty level:

For singers: 4/5 (difficulty level would drop to a 3 if you change the key)

For musicians: 3/5

Lead singer required? Only if you’re including the verses.

There is also an instrumental track for “Come Home”, available from Fruition Music. You can use the track for accompaniment if you don’t have a musician. Link: Come Home (Instrumental)

Don’t Let This Moment Pass You By – by Kristle Murden

“Don’t let this moment pass you byJesus is waiting with His arms open wideHe’s willing to supply all of the needs in your lifeTake my advice, don’t let this moment pass you by”Andrae Crouch wrote this beautiful invitation song. Kristle Murden’s recording of it is done as a solo with backup singers, but it also sounds lovely with just choir. We always end up doing it slower than the recorded version.

II Corinthians 6:2 — “Behold, now is the accepted time; behold, now is the day of salvation.”

Renew – written by Bishop Charles Watkins

This is one of my favorite songs. Taken almost verbatim from Psalm 51:10. A beautiful, comforting melody makes this a wonderful selection for altar calls.

The only recording I could find was from the P.A.W. Mass Choir album where it’s done as part of a medley of three Charles Watkins songs. Fortunately, the Amazon preview of the medley is an excerpt that contains Renew.

“(9) And he spake this parable unto certain which trusted in themselves that they were righteous, and despised others: (10) Two men went up into the temple to pray; the one a Pharisee, and the other a publican. (11) The Pharisee stood and prayed thus with himself, God, I thank thee, that I am not as other men are, extortioners, unjust, adulterers, or even as this publican. (12) I fast twice in the week, I give tithes of all that I possess. (13) And the publican, standing afar off, would not lift up so much as his eyes unto heaven, but smote upon his breast, saying, God be merciful to me a sinner. (14) I tell you, this man went down to his house justified rather than the other: for every one that exalteth himself shall be abased; and he that humbleth himself shall be exalted.”

This simple tune carries the message that nobody should consider themselves a lost cause. No matter what mess a person is in, they can come out of it with God’s help.

What I like about this song is the fact that at the same time it shows understanding to people who have fallen, it tells them not to be complacent about remaining in a fallen state. The line that repeats over and over is “get back up again — get back up again.”

Psalm 40:2 — “He brought me up also out of a horrible pit, out of the miry clay, and set my feet upon a rock, and established my goings. “

Will You Be Ready? – by Commissioned

There is a very long lead verse at the beginning of this song, but the part you would want your choir to do is just the repeating chorus at the end. Beautiful, simple, and unforgettable.

Matthew 24:44 — “Therefore be ye also ready: for in such an hour as ye think not the Son of man cometh.”

Key of Db.

Difficulty level:

For singers: 1/5

For musicians: 1/5

Lead singer required? Not for the part you would want to do for altar call.

Video: Bishop Charles Watkins sings Renew

There’s a rather long introduction by Bishop Arthur Brazier before the song starts.

Fast songs

Yes, fast songs can be good for altar call as well. A fast song can add a sense of urgency, the feeling that one needs to take action NOW! If the speaker is giving a rousing and forceful invitational message, a fast song might be better background music than a slow one.

One of the ways that I love to use fast invitational songs is as the closing number for a concert. Ending concerts with an uptempo number is always nice, and if the song has a good repeating vamp, you can just keep on singing it as you hand it over to the preacher to make the altar call.

At the Table – by Richard Smallwood

This one is based on the old congregational song that says, “Come over here where the table is spread and the feast of the Lord is going on.” There are many places in the scriptures where communing with God is compared to eating.

(32) Then Jesus said unto them, Verily, verily, I say unto you, Moses gave you not that bread from heaven; but my Father giveth you the true bread from heaven. (33) For the bread of God is he which cometh down from heaven, and giveth life unto the world. (34) Then said they unto him, Lord, evermore give us this bread. (35) And Jesus said unto them, I am the bread of life: he that cometh to me shall never hunger; and he that believeth on me shall never thirst.

Look and Live – by the Michael Fletcher Chorale

A contemporary spin on the old hymn of the same name. Here’s a link for the original hymn: Look and Live.

All of the links I have seen with lyrics for this song did not have the correct lyrics. They had the lyrics for the original hymn, even though they said it was the lyrics for the Michael Fletcher song. But the words are pretty easy to understand on the recording, so you’ll be OK.

Isaiah 45: 22 — “Look unto me, and be ye saved, all the ends of the earth: for I am God, and there is none else.”

This song also goes well with sermons about Ezekiel preaching to the valley of dry bones.

Key of Bb.

Difficulty level:

For singers: 2/5

For musicians: 2/5

Lead singer required? No.

Say the Word – by Rodnie Bryant

This song is a lot of fun for the choir to sing. The best feature for altar call purposes is the vamp that repeats over and over, “Say the word: I want to be born again; I want to be born again.” It’s a very catchy line that usually inspires the audience to sing along. It’s almost like subliminal advertising for salvation.

These days a lot of people talk about “speaking the word of faith” and often refer to the passage where Jesus said to ask and it will be given to you. But it seems like people mainly focus on asking for earthly prosperity and blessings. What Jesus told us to ask for is the Holy Ghost. That’s the miracle that we need to be looking for when we “say the word.”

Luke 11:9-13

“(9) And I say unto you, Ask, and it shall be given you; seek, and ye shall find; knock, and it shall be opened unto you. (10) For every one that asketh receiveth; and he that seeketh findeth; and to him that knocketh it shall be opened. (11) If a son shall ask bread of any of you that is a father, will he give him a stone? or if he ask a fish, will he for a fish give him a serpent? (12) Or if he shall ask an egg, will he offer him a scorpion? (13) If ye then, being evil, know how to give good gifts unto your children: how much more shall your heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to them that ask him?”

Romans 10:8 — “But what saith it? The word is nigh thee, even in thy mouth, and in thy heart: that is, the word of faith, which we preach”

What are your favorite choir songs for altar call?

Warning: Missing argument 1 for cwppos_show_review(), called in /home2/joanhall/public_html/articles/wp-content/themes/flat/content-single.php on line 29 and defined in /home2/joanhall/public_html/articles/wp-content/plugins/wp-product-review/includes/legacy.php on line 18